Industry Leader & Safety Advocate Passes Away

Bill Mann, 82, whose mantra during 62 years in the commercial laundry industry, was “If you’re going to do a job for someone, do it right,” passed away on Aug. 28 following an illness.

Few would question that Mann, from Allentown, PA, lived up to those words. TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci noted that Mann had always given back to the industry that had nurtured him. “Bill consistently put others first,” Ricci said. “Whether in the office, in the classroom or in the field, helping members improve their safety and productivity. He was friends to many in the industry, and he always had a good story to share.”

Mann got his start in the linen, uniform and facility services industry in May 1958, while still in high school. He served as a “bundle boy,” moving linens at Mary MacIntosh Services, Bethlehem, PA. In the years that followed, he advanced to a number of executive posts in commercial laundries. He also served as a consultant and as a chemical supplier representative.

Industry observers also may recall Mann’s work for TRSA as director of industry affairs from 2004-’13. He continued to serve part-time through April 2021 as a liaison to the TRSA Safety Committee and as an inspector for the Hygienically Clean certification program.

Charles Edelman, corporate safety director for Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services, Elmsford, NY, and chair of TRSA’s Safety Committee, worked closely with Mann. Edelman was impressed by his knowledge and passion for incident prevention. “I worked with Bill during his involvement with the TRSA Safety Committee,” Edelman said. “We all wanted to do our best, and Bill was right there with us. He always had an industry-related story that helped us at the committee meetings when we would get bogged down.”

TRSA staffers, including this correspondent, can attest to Mann’s unmatched skills as a raconteur. Mann told stories (and jokes) on an array of topics. But as an instructor at TRSA’s Production Management Institute (PMI), he applied this talent as a teaching tool to help students – managers at linen, uniform and facility services companies – avoid accidents. Charles Brigham, a former executive vice president of Coyne Textile Services, recalled the story Mann told to PMI students. Mann’s tale sought to heighten their awareness of safety risks. Brigham, who also served as TRSA’s director of member relations, said Mann described a laundry operator who was working alone on an ironer on a weekend. The operator’s left hand got caught between rollers in the ironer. The incident happened in the early 1960s. There were no cell phones, and no way for the operator to get help, Brigham said, recalling Mann’s words. After some time had passed, the operator got lucky. “He was there for hours,” Brigham said. “And finally, he got the attention of somebody in a gas station near there by yelling and screaming. Actually, that saved him.”

Many who attended PMI, know the rest of the story. Brigham described Mann’s words about the conclusion of the incident as follows: “He said ‘The person that did this stupid thing, was … let me see here now. Yes. It was me.’ And he’d hold up his hand.” The incident cost Mann all four fingers and part of a thumb. Mann’s carelessness made him feel foolish, Brigham said. But it was a “teaching moment” that he carried for the rest of his life.

Despite the incident, Mann advanced quickly in the laundry business. Within 12 years he was named general manager at MacIntosh. He also worked in chemical sales for BASF Corp. and UNX Chemicals Inc. Later, he founded a consulting firm. In that role, he advised clients on all aspects of plant operations in the healthcare, linen supply, industrial and hospitality segments. One client was Ed McCauley, now president and CEO of United Hospital Services, Carmel, IN. “Early in my career at HCSC, (Mann) was a consultant that would come in and help us out on our ironers,” McCauley said. “We always got along very well. I was so sorry to see that he passed away.”

David Potack, president of Unitex, said that in his dealings with Mann – whatever the issue was – his focus was on continuous improvement. “My takeaway with Bill is there was an authenticity and sincerity to him,” Potack said. “He just wanted to be helpful and make it better, whatever it was.” That spirit carried through during Mann’s tenure at TRSA.

For example, Mann contributed his expertise to several key projects for the association. These included:

• Hygienically Clean Certification: As director of industry affairs in the early 2000s, Mann served on a steering committee that organized an initiative that evolved into the Hygienically Clean certification program. Since 2012, the certification effort has helped to elevate quality and hygiene standards in order to protect laundry employees as well as hospital staff, patients and other laundry end users. Today, 486 plants and depots are certified to the Hygienically Clean standard.
• Laundry Operations and Management: Published in 2017, this book offers an overview of the laundry industry, from soil sorting to washing, drying and finishing, packout and delivery. A manager who’s new to the industry or an industry veteran can gain insights from the work of dozens of operators and supplier partners who contributed to this publication.
• Textile Laundering Technology: Commonly known by its acronym “TLT,” this 2007 publication offers laundry operators guidance on wash formulas and all facets of chemical use and handling, fibers and fabrics, finishing, energy and troubleshooting throughout the laundry process.

Bruce Feldman, president of Economy Linen and Towel Service Inc., Dayton, OH, recalled working with Mann on various TRSA projects. Feldman was impressed by Mann’s skills and collegiality, along with his dedication to the industry. “I had the opportunity to work with Bill on the Healthcare Committee,” Feldman said. “I also worked with him on other industry issues. My recollection is that he was very committed to the industry. He was always working to make us better and to help any of the operators that he could. He came up in the industry. He had a great deal of knowledge and was always willing to help. He was a sincerely nice guy who worked hard for us.”

Funeral arrangements are pending. Check for updates at www.trsa.org.